


Of Flower Shops and Bakeries

by aworldofmyownliking



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, svvde2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 09:19:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13678785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aworldofmyownliking/pseuds/aworldofmyownliking
Summary: Written for the 2018 Scarlet Vision Valentine's Day Event. Prompt #13: Vision owns a bakery and Wanda owns a flower shop AU.





	Of Flower Shops and Bakeries

**Author's Note:**

> Be sure to check out the photos that go along with the story made by the lovely @atendrilofscarlet on tumblr :)
> 
> Link: https://atendrilofscarlet.tumblr.com/post/170871691387/offlowershopsandbakeries

“Dammit,” Wanda muttered, noticing the yellow parking ticket marring her windshield from the coffee shop window, and the vulture of a parking attendant making his way down the long line of cars parked along the other side of the street.

She’d gone into the coffee shop for _five minutes_ to get her morning caffeine dose, and this is what she came back out to?

“Hey!” she shouted, quickly checking both directions for oncoming cars before she dashed across the street. “What gives?”

The parking attendant didn’t look up from his handheld machine as he addressed her.

“You’re illegally parked.”

Wanda snorted.

“No, I’m not.” She gestured to the flower shop in front of them, awash with a rainbow of colors from the bright petals decorating the outside of the building. Her name sat atop the awning in inviting, red cursive letters: Wanda’s. “I own this store. I have a parking permit from the city to park here, I do it every day.”

The parking attendant’s machine cranked out another parking ticket, which he mechanically ripped off and placed on the windshield of the car behind her. He pointed to the sign to his left. _Parking permits must be visible between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m._

“It’s 8:15, and your parking permit was not properly displayed,” he said. He brushed past her and opened the driver’s side door of his golf-cart like vehicle. The cheery yellow of his vest was a stark contrast to the droopiness of his face as he wished her a pleasant day and drove off down the road.

She stood gaping like a fish in the middle of the sidewalk, the coffee in her hand growing colder by the minute as disbelief settled over her.

_Did that really just happen?_

 “Well he didn’t seem very pleasant,” said a familiar voice over Wanda’s shoulder.

Wanda shook her head and turned around to face her favorite person in the world, Vision, who owned the bakery next door. She’d met him a few years ago at a surprise birthday party thrown for her and her twin brother, Pietro.

He’d been so outrageously drunk when introduced to her by her best friend Clint that he’d introduced himself as “The Vision”. He hadn’t really introduced himself by any definition of the word, but rather shouted his name in her face half a dozen times. Still, Wanda (a little tipsy herself) had found it funny and the name stuck.

They’d been practically inseparable ever since, and Wanda had even helped him realize one of his lifelong dreams of owning a bakery when the shop building next to hers started leasing a few months ago. The two were now collaborating on local parties and other more solemn occasions, like funerals.  

“He was about as pleasant as talking to my father on days that end in ‘Y’,” Wanda remarked.  

Vision chuckled and the lopsided grin on his face made Wanda’s stomach drop. No matter how much she denied it (to herself or Pietro, who was constantly teasing her about it), she knew she was hopelessly in love with Vision. Working in such close proximity didn’t help, either, especially as of late. Business for him had been booming, but the same couldn’t be said for Wanda. She was struggling to pay the building’s rent, and her chances to make the payments were starting to dwindle, and the shop wasn’t making near enough money to keep up.

Still, Vision always listened to her bemoan her stroke of bad luck as long as she wanted and snuck over little treats on the especially bad days when she had to have the tough conversations with herself on whether she would have to close her doors soon. And it was always Vision who would hug her and tell her she _couldn’t_ give up. That her shop mattered and brought people so much joy and happiness. He helped her see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Which only made her fall in love with him even more.

“Speaking of, how is your father?” Vision asked, breaking off Wanda’s thoughts. “We haven’t seen him around lately to criticize the place or harass my customers. I kind of miss him.”

Wanda rolled her eyes. “Oh, he’ll be back soon enough,” she said. “He thinks I’m wasting my time with this stupid shop, so I’m sure he’ll come running back salivating when it eventually…”

Wanda trailed off, unable to speak the words into existence, almost like a taboo. Even though it seemed inevitable that the store might close, she was determined to go down fighting. She wouldn’t just throw the towel in without trying.

Vision’s features softened in sympathy and Wanda found she couldn’t look him directly in the eye anymore.

“I’m sorry, Wanda,” he said.

She waved the apology away.

“It’s fine,” she said. “It just hasn’t been my day today, I guess.”

 _Or week, or past three months,_ she thought bitterly.

She was digging the shop keys out of her purse when Vision spoke again.

“You should come by tonight, after the store closes,” he said. “We can crack open a bottle of wine. Perhaps that will cheer you up?”

Wanda narrowed her eyes and tried to keep her face stoic, but her stomach was doing backflips. She could feel the blush creeping up her neck and hoped that it wasn’t too obvious that she was internally celebrating.

“Yeah,” she said. “That sounds nice.”

 “Perfect,” Vision said, his face breaking into a broad grin that brightened his entire appearance. “It’s a date.”

***

_A date._

Vision’s words danced around in Wanda’s head all day, and she walked through her normal routine in a daze. Perhaps Vision hadn’t meant anything by it. Perhaps he was just carelessly throwing around the term “date” …or was he? What if he _had_ meant it? They’d been friends for years (much to Wanda’s dismay) and she knew he wasn’t one to say something unless he absolutely meant it.

Then she’d think about the wine and being alone with him and the ambiguity in which he’d used the word would tie her stomach in knots. In a spontaneous gesture, Wanda had arranged a bouquet of multicolored roses during some of her downtime (which was becoming all too common these days) to take over that evening.

But when the clock struck five, she couldn’t bring herself to take them to Vision’s. She left them sitting on her workshop table in the back of the store as she locked up and walked next door.

She locked the bakery door behind her and turned off the electric “Open” sign like she’d done a hundred times before for him. Without the low hum of the sign buzzing throughout the store, the place was eerily quiet. Wanda made her way through the kitchen to the small, hidden stairwell that led to Vision’s studio apartment.

“Ah, Miss Maximoff, please come in,” Vision said when he answered the door. The upper half of his body dipped into a bow as he jokingly ushered her inside.

 _Okay,_ she thought. _No big deal. It’s just two friends having fun. Just be casual._

Vision’s apartment was spotless and well decorated. Persian rugs were scattered across the floor and ceiling plants hung from the rafters near the windows, which overlooked the quaint downtown area. Everything was meticulously placed, down to the angle of the coffee table in the living room and the pictures hanging on the walls. The exposed brick walls gave the place a modern, sophisticated look that Wanda adored.

She immediately froze when she saw the kitchen island. Vision had set out two wine glasses, a charcuterie board and various baking ingredients on the counter space, sending Wanda’s heart racing.

_I’m on a date with Vision._

“What’s all this?” she asked, examining the layout before her. She could feel the wide grin plastered on her face.

“You’ve had a rough few weeks,” Vision said as he joined her. “And I wanted to cheer you up. I thought all this would, uh, set the mood. You know, since it’s a date.”

Wanda glanced at him then, and realized he was _nervous_. His arms were crossed over his chest, but his fingers kept fiddling with the fabric of his shirt and smoothing it down. Usually he was so still and calm. It was a bit unnerving to see him this way, yet endearing at the same time.

“All we need are some candles and jazz,” Wanda quipped. She bumped his shoulder with hers, and he returned the gesture.

“I _knew_ I was forgetting something,” he said wryly.

After pouring her a glass of wine, Vision and Wanda sat at the island together, the conversation flowing easily, which relieved Wanda of any pressure and anxiety she’d been feeling earlier that day. He asked if she’d heard any news about her shop (she hadn’t), and how she was feeling about it (nervous, but not at the moment).

“What’s this for?” Wanda asked, indicating the sugar and flour.

“Oh, I was thinking we could bake something. I know I always send you something when you’re having a bad day, so this time I figured we could just make it together.”

Vision stood and began measuring out the ingredients wordlessly. Wanda sat for a moment, watching the adorable way his forehead wrinkled in concentration as he mixed the sugar, butter, and flour together. He was so precise and careful with the measurements, using a knife to scrape off the excess and make sure the exact amount was being used.

Vision noticed her staring and smiled.

“Come join me,” he said.

Wanda swallowed. She was suddenly very aware of how warm the wine had made her.

“I figured chocolate chip cookies were simple enough,” Vision said. He cracked a few eggs into a separate bowl and threw in a dash of vanilla and baking soda. “Plus, they’re always a crowd favorite downstairs.”

Wanda smiled. They were also her favorite treat that Vision made. He had a secret ingredient that he never spoke of to anyone—not even her. But whatever it was, the cookies always came out perfectly browned and soft.

“If more people tasted these, you could stop wars,” she joked.

“And if more people knew about you and the work you did, you’d be unstoppable,” Vision responded. The sincerity with which he spoke made Wanda blush furiously, and she could feel her heart racing when she caught the kind look in his eyes.

“You’re just saying that,” she muttered.

“I’m not,” Vision said. He reached for the sifter and began mixing the two bowls of ingredients together. “You don’t always see it, but I do. You miss the way people’s eyes light up when they leave the store with a fresh vase of flowers. I wish everyone could see how much light you bring to the world.”

He stepped closer to her, grasping her small hands in his floured ones.

They’d stood this close before hundreds of times. The first time they’d met they were this close, but this time was different. She could see the freckles at the base of his throat and the blush that reddened his cheeks. Wanda felt the energy that was building between them as Vision’s eyes searched her face, and realized that whatever feelings she had for him were reciprocated. How had she not noticed before?

“I wish people could see you like I do.”

They crashed together then, their mouths meeting like noiseless cymbals, but with the same rousing effect. His fingers moved into her hair, and she could feel the flour smeared on her cheeks, but she didn’t care. She pressed their bodies closer together, and the urgency of the kiss slowed when it was obvious neither one of them was going to pull away.

Vision deepened the kiss, and soon the two were clutching each other desperately, as the need and desire of the last several years culminated into that precise moment. 

As the passion built, the two stumbled into Vision’s bedroom, locked in an entanglement of mouths and teeth and noses. Neither of them remembered the dough on the counter, which sat out untouched all night long.

***

The sunlight peeking through the bedroom curtains woke Vision the next morning. The bed was still warm where Wanda had lay sleeping, and when he realized she was gone, his first thought was that she wasn’t coming back. The previous evening’s events flashed through his mind. His hands in her hair while he kissed her, on her waist, their bodies tangled together…

He could’ve kicked himself.

 _That’s it,_ he thought, _I’ve ruined everything between us._

He dressed quickly by grabbing various articles of clothing that were scattered around the room and crossed to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee, but the brilliant bouquet of roses on the island was all he could see.

He gingerly caressed the red, yellow, and pink petals, and smiled at the scarlet satin ribbon tying them all together. It was a very Wanda-esque touch.

Lying next the flowers on the counter was a note from Wanda: _Last night was fun. Don’t worry, I didn’t bail on you. Just wanted to leave these for you to wake up to while I grab us some breakfast. I hope they make you feel the same way I do about you. Be back soon. Xoxo_

She was coming back. Relief washed over him like waves on the sand. The thing that had seemed so fragile before had a sturdy foundation. Everything between him and Wanda would be just fine.

He looked up when he heard the lock in the door. Wanda had changed her clothes from last night, swapping them for a more casual outfit of leggings and an oversized sweater, and Vision felt a warmth spreading through his chest when he looked at her.

“Good morning,” she said as she shut the door behind her. “I hope you don’t mind that I swiped your key while I went to get food.” She indicated the gold keychain gripped between her fingers as she balanced two paper coffee cups in both hands. A brown paper bag of food with the insignia of the diner across the street hung in the crook of her elbow.

Vision shook his head. “I don’t mind at all.”

Wanda crossed the room to join him and set their breakfast on the counter. She smiled sheepishly as she stepped closer, lifted herself to her toes, and kissed Vision, who returned the gentle kiss with his own.

His worries of potentially ruining their friendship melted away as he held her. It struck him how natural this progression with Wanda seemed, as if they were always meant to set off together on this path.

“There’s something you should know,” she said.

Vision’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt. Had he been wrong in believing that she wanting to pursue a romantic relationship?

“It’s nothing serious!” Wanda added quickly. “It’s just—”

“What?”

“You forgot to move your car last night,” she explained. He could see now that she was trying not to laugh. “So now we both have parking tickets to pay.”

 

 


End file.
